Poppies are beautiful flowers that bloom in spring and early summer, But what should you do with them once they are done flowering? There are a few steps you can take to care for your poppies after blooming and encourage more flowers
Deadhead Faded Flowers
The most important thing to do is deadhead the faded blooms This means snipping off the spent flowers either back to the stem or down to the basal leaves. Deadheading prevents the plant from putting energy into forming seeds and redirects it into producing more flower buds
For annual poppies like Shirley poppies, deadheading reduces self-seeding. The tiny black seeds easily scatter in the wind, so deadheading helps control where poppies sprout up next year.
With Oriental and Icelandic poppies, which are perennials, deadheading prolongs the blooming season. These types may rebloom again in late summer or fall if old blooms are promptly removed.
When to Deadhead
It’s best to deadhead poppies as soon as flowers start to fade. Don’t wait until petals completely drop, or the plant may form seeds. For most varieties, this pruning happens in spring and early summer when initial blooms finish.
How to Deadhead
Cut back the entire flower stem to the base of the plant. Leaving bare stems will not generate new blooms. The overall look will be tidy and compact after deadheading.
Remove Foliage
In mid to late summer, cut back yellowing leaves and stems on poppies as they go dormant. This sanitary pruning reduces pests and diseases. It also makes room for any late perennials still flowering.
First pull off any dead leaves or petals by hand to avoid damaging new growth starting at the base. Then use pruning shears to snip off stems all the way to the ground.
You can also use a weed whip or lawn mower set to a high blade height to quickly chop back foliage on larger stands of poppies. Just be careful not to damage the crown.
Discard the cuttings or add them to a compost pile. The exception would be any seed pods you want to collect.
Collect Seeds
Many gardeners grow Shirley poppies specifically to harvest the tiny seed pods once flowering concludes. Collecting seeds from desired varieties lets you propagate more plants for free.
Check seed pods in the morning after the dew dries. They should be dry and brown with distinct ridges. Gently break open a few pods to inspect the seeds inside. Dark brown, plump seeds are ripe and ready for harvest. Green, soft seeds need more time.
Gather dry pods into paper bags or envelopes. Tiny black seeds will shake loose when the pods fully dry and split open. Leave collected seeds in a dry spot for a week or two before storing in jars or packets. Label everything for easy identification.
Perennial poppies produce some seed pods but not as prolifically as annuals. It takes more effort to collect significant seeds from these.
Mark Location of Perennials
For Oriental, Icelandic, and orientale poppies, mark where they are planted to avoid losing them. These die back completely in fall and can be accidentally dug up or damaged before emerging in spring.
Place a marker in the ground or outline the spot with stones. You can also mulch around dormant roots to highlight the location. Just don’t mulch too early in fall or you may smother new growth still developing.
Come spring, remove any markers and pull back excess mulch. Be gentle digging in marked areas when preparing beds or planting other flowers.
Apply Fall Compost or Fertilizer
Poppies thrive in nutrient-poor soil and don’t require fertilizing. But a light application of compost or a balanced organic fertilizer in fall benefits perennial varieties. This fuels root growth and gives plants a head start once they resprout next year.
Scatter compost or fertilizer around dormant plants in late fall after the ground cools. Water in well before winter but don’t fertilize if the ground is frozen.
Leave Some Seed Pods
When deadheading and cutting backspent poppies, leave a few seed pods in place. This allows some natural reseeding, especially for Shirley and breadseed poppies. They will self-sow but typically not too far from the original plants.
You’ll get a new batch of seedlings each year. Thin young plants for the desired fullness and pull extra sprouts. Self-seeding ensures a continuous supply of these short-lived annual poppies.
Why Deadhead Poppies
Deadheading spent blooms is the primary pruning poppies need. Here are the key reasons to stay on top of removing faded flowers:
- Encourages more buds and extends flowering
- Redirects energy from seed production to new blooms
- Reduces unwanted self-seeding of annuals
- Improves air circulation and deters fungal diseases
- Keeps plants looking neat and tidy
By staying on top of deadheading, your poppies will continue gracing the garden with colorful flowers for as long as possible. Pair pruning with proper care, and you’ll enjoy these flowering favorites year after year.
Common Questions About Poppy Care
If this is your first time growing poppies, you likely have lots of questions about caring for them beyond just pruning. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.
How often do you water poppies?
Poppies prefer drier conditions and overly wet soil can cause root rot. Water deeply only when the top few inches become dry. Use a moisture meter to determine when irrigation is needed.
Once established, poppies are quite drought tolerant. Supplement rain with occasional deep watering during dry spells. Avoid frequent, light watering that keeps soil soggy.
Should poppies be deadheaded?
Yes, deadheading is important for both annual and perennial poppies. It encourages more blooms and a longer flowering season. Deadhead spent flowers as soon as petals drop by cutting back the entire stem.
Can you cut back oriental poppies?
Yes, cutting Oriental and Iceland poppies back after blooming is recommended. New basal foliage will still emerge and they may rebloom on shorter stems in late summer or fall. Cut all the way to the ground once the plants go dormant.
Do poppies spread quickly?
Annual Shirley poppies spread through self-sowing but are easy to control. Dig up unwanted seedlings when they sprout. Perennial poppies multiply slowly via underground rhizome growth but don’t aggressively spread.
Are poppies hard to grow?
Not at all! Poppies are easy to grow from seed planted directly in the garden. They thrive in poor, sandy soil with minimal care. Just provide sun, scatter seeds, and water occasionally once sprouted.
Enjoy Poppies Year After Year
With proper deadheading and care after blooming, your poppies will continue flowering for weeks or months longer. A little attention goes a long way with these hardy, low-maintenance flowers. Incorporate these tips into your pruning and maintenance regimen to keep poppies looking their best in your garden.
When to Prune Poppies
Deadheading is done as soon as the flowers start to fade. Waiting too long will risk seed formation, which the annual types do quickly. Deadheading will only be done in the spring and early summer because most types bloom early in the season. Cut the flower stem all the way back to the plant’s base to keep the shape neat and tight. Bare flower stems will not regenerate flowers and will eventually wither and die.
Perennial varieties will benefit greatly from regular deadheading. The Oriental and Icelandic Poppies are not as prolific at seed forming like the annual varieties. They multiply from underground root growth. By cutting off the spent flowers, you can encourage more leaves to grow and maybe even keep perennial poppies growing so they can bloom again in the late summer or fall.
Poppies can have more flowers for longer and fewer seeds form if you prune them, also known as “deadheading.” Removing the spent flower material also improves air circulation, deterring diseases such as mildews and fungus. Cutting back the older plant material also helps plants to regulate water usage, diverting resources from fading foliage. Cleaning up Poppies as they go dormant during the summer helps to make room for later-blooming perennials.
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A poppy plant, whether it’s an annual or a perennial type, needs to be pruned in the same way. Deadheading means getting rid of spent flowers so that the plant can keep putting its energy into flowering. Plants that are not deadheaded will stop forming flower buds and start ripening seeds and preparing for dormancy.
Deadheading annual types of Poppies will reduce the amount of self-seeding the plants will do. Annual Poppies can be prolific seed setters. Their pods usually drop the very small seeds close to the plants, but the wind can also carry seeds long distances. It’s easy to get rid of annual plants that spread their own seeds and grow new plants the next year.
